The Node.js Foundation, which has jurisdiction over the popular server-side JavaScript platform, is adding the Express MVC Web framework for Node.js as an incubation project, with the intention of ensuring its continued viability.

"The end goal here is to maintain stability," foundation representative Zibby Keaton said in an email. "Through open governance, the Node.js Foundation wants more contributors to become a part of the project and ensure that this framework is around for a long time. There will be two mentors that will help guide the project to ensure that this happens."

Some constituent modules of the framework also are included as part of the incubation project. An Express Technical Committee will be formed, comprised of contributors who will determine the roadmap for Express going forward, Keaton said.

Express has been downloaded more than 53 million times in the past two years, according to the foundation. "With 5 million package downloads in the last month, the stability of this project, [which] will get a huge boost through open governance, is very important to the efforts of the Node.js Foundation in supporting Node.js as a technology and developer ecosystem," said Rod Vagg, technical steering committee director at the foundation, in a statement.

IBM is contributing assets related to Express to the foundation. The Node.js Foundation Incubation Program was launched last year and also has one other project under it -- the Libuv software library for asynchronous event notification.

Copyright 2016 IDG Communications. ABN 14 001 592 650. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IDG Communications is prohibited.